USC hires Florida Gulf Coast's Enfield

April 01, 2013|Sports Xchange

Florida Gulf Coast coach Andy Enfield reacts during the first half of the game against Florida. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

Andy Enfield, who led Florida Gulf Coast on its surprising run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament, was named the new head basketball coach at Southern California, the school announced on its website Monday.

ESPN.com's Andy Katz reported that Enfield, 43, agreed to a six-year deal with USC. Katz also reported that Enfield, who was making $157,000 a year at Florida Gulf Coast, will make more than $1 million a year at USC.

"Andy has been successful in every area of his life," said USC athletic director Pat Haden on the USC web site. "He has been a success on the court as a record-setting player, in the classroom as an Academic All-American, in the corporate world with successful businesses, in his personal life as a husband and father, as an NBA assistant and shooting coach, as a collegiate assistant at Florida State and most recently as a head coach with his Sweet Sixteen team at Florida Gulf Coast.

"Andy's success this season at Florida Gulf Coast was not a flash in the pan. He has a consistent and proven record of success for more than 15 years in college and the NBA. He is a respected teacher who develops his players on the court and sees them excel in the classroom, he is a noted shooting coach, he is a relentless recruiter and he has integrity and great character. Those in the basketball world have known of his abilities for a while. His brand of basketball--an up-tempo offense and a stingy defense -- is fun for players to play and fans to watch. He is an excellent fit at USC who will resonate well with our players, our fans and our community."

"My family and I are thrilled to join the Trojan Family and be part of the unparalleled athletic tradition at USC," Enfield said in a statement on the website. "In meeting with Pat Haden, I was very impressed with his vision for the men's basketball program. I am looking forward to bringing an exciting, up-tempo style of play to USC and building the men's basketball brand into one that the fans and basketball community will enjoy and respect."

Enfield was 41-28 in his two seasons at the Fort Myers, Fla., school. He led the Eagles to a school-record 26 wins this season, including upsets of No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 7 seed San Diego State as a 15th-seed in the NCAA tourney.

Enfield takes over from interim coach Bob Cantu, who had a 7-8 record after succeeding Kevin O'Neill, who was fired in mid-January.